USA TODAY Sports spotlights one rookie each week as part of our weekly Rookie Power Rankings.

There are only three rookies in this year’s class that have logged a triple-double, and Dallas Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr. is one of them.

Smith Jr., the No. 9 pick out of N.C. State, blitzed the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night for 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as he surpassed Jason Kidd as the youngest Maverick ever to record one. He was also the third-youngest player in league history with a triple-double. More significantly, the Mavericks won on the road in New Orleans, their third win of a four-game winning streak, all of which have come against playoff teams.

To hear Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle talk about his flourishing rookie is to hear a coach teeming with excitement about his team's future.

“We drafted him because we think he can be a great player, one of the best players to ever play in a Mavericks’ uniform, on the one hand,” he said. “On the other hand, the things that are really essential to winning and are very nuanced aren’t screaming out to the world the way a triple-double is. And he’s understanding that. It’s a huge step.”

Smith Jr. recently returned after missing six games with a strained left hip, and Dallas is 5-2 since his return. On Sunday in Oklahoma City, Smith Jr. scored 11 of his 19 points in the final 1:39 to overcome Russell Westbrook’s triple-double. The wins are beginning to come, but there’s significant individual improvement as well.

He had his best shooting month in December, knocking down 42% from the field, including 44% from the three-point line. He also minimized his turnovers with just 2.2 per game after consecutive months of over three per game. The rookie hasn't missed a start, growing more accustomed to the speed of the game and becoming more confident in who he is as a player.

Known for his leaping ability, Smith Jr. is also a confident outside shooter and savvy pick-and-roll player. Against the Pelicans he pushed the pace, attacked the lane, converted second-chance points and found numerous passing seams that most rookies wouldn’t dare. The Mavericks won’t likely flirt with the postseason, but that affords him ample room to grow alongside veterans J.J. Barea and Devin Harris. Thirty games in, there’s little doubt Smith Jr. can help usher in a new era of Mavs basketball once Dirk Nowitzki retires.

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1. Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers: 16.6 ppg,7.5 apg, 8.6 rpg

Simmons has the sixth-most FG attempts inside of five feet of any player in the NBA. The others on that list are Giannis Antetokounmpo, DeMarcus Cousins, LeBron James, Andre Drummond and Russell Westbrook. Of that group, Simmons has the third-highest FG percentage at nearly 66%.

As we predicted earlier this season, Mitchell has become the most electric rookie in his class. He spearheaded the Jazz's impressive win over the Cavs on Saturday with 29 points (and several vicious dunks), six assists, four rebounds and three steals. There's an excitement about his offensive game that no other rookie engenders.

3. Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers: 17.5 ppg, 1.7 apg, 6.5 rpg

As great as Kuzma has been for the Lakers, even he hasn't been able to wrest them from their current seven-game losing streak. In that span, Kuzma has shot just 36% on 42 for 117 from the field.

4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics: 14.1 ppg, 1.4 apg, 5.6 rpg

Tatum's three-point shooting tailed off a bit this past week, but he still leads the league from beyond the arc at 47%. He was integral in Boston's 26-point comeback against the Rockets, scoring 19 points and five rebounds in a season-high 40 minutes.

5. Lauri Markkanen, Chicago Bulls: 14.7 ppg, 1.3 apg, 7.4 rpg

Markkanen and Nikola Mirotic have been leading the Bulls' resurgence with an assault from the three-point line. Markkanen has knocked down 16 three-pointers in his last six games, including a 32-point outburst in a win over the Pacers.